Gavin's mind raced with the implications that it wasn't his pain he was feeling. It wasn't his leg getting sliced open, nor his body that burned and throbbed from the pain.
It was Erza.
She was in pain. She was suffering and all alone, with none of them there to protect her. The thought of that sent his emotions spinning out of control. "It's Erza," Gavin snapped through gritted teeth. "She's being hurt," he said as he looked to Jackson and Helena. His mana was surging to the surface once again, a reaction to his tumultuous emotions.
Jackson raised an eyebrow in confusion. "How do you know?" he asked him. His eyes were soft with concern and worry as he looked from Shepard back to Gavin.
"I don't know, not for certainty," Gavin admitted reluctantly. "I know this sounds crazy, but I felt like my own leg was being sliced open just now," Gavin said as he rubbed his leg where he would swear was pouring blood. But where a cut should be, there was nothing but smooth skin and a clean hospital gown. No gash or pouring blood from an open wound.
It's the mating bond in action, Veronica said in Gavin's mind. Her presence soothing Gavin's already fried nerves.
Gavin frowned as he closed his eyes. You've been very quiet so far since I woke up, Gavin responded. He thought she would have had much more to say earlier when he had his little outburst.
Apologies master Gavin. I didn't speak up because I didn't think I had anything of value to add at the time. What your loved ones all say is true. You will find and rescue your mate and child, of that I have no doubt. Veronica said this with confidence oozing in her voice.
Are your speech patterns getting more realistic? Gavin asked in surprise. I didn't expect you to have formed an opinion on something like this. He said in genuine interest. He had much still to learn about his little AI partner.
No, that is just your imagination, master Gavin. Veronica replied, her voice ever the same tone as she talked to him.
"It is the effect of the mating bond. When the magic connected your hearts, it created a corridor between your very souls," Principal Shepard said as he looked at his grandson. His body was stiff and tense as he recognized what the signs would mean. Gavin turned and raised an eyebrow in confusion as he looked at his grandfather.
"What that means is that you can feel each other's pain. It can be as crystal clear as if it was happening to yourself," Principal Shepard said as he examined Gavin's leg. "As you can see, you have no wound here, but it must have felt like someone was hurting you a moment ago, didn't it?" Principal Shepard asked him.
Gavin could only nod. "It felt like my leg was on fire and being torn open," he said as his body relaxed. Helena and Jackson let out sighs of relief when his mana calmed back down while he spoke to his grandfather. "What do we have to do to end this?" Gavin asked, his eyes glowing a bright, beautiful shade of red. He was done waiting around in a hospital room. So they wanted to hunt shifters because they thought they were animals and beneath normal humans?
So be it.
Gavin would become the worst sort of animal to bring his family back home. He jumped from the bed and walked over to the cabinet where his clothes were laying neatly folded on top.
Professor Okeeba cleared his throat as he watched Gavin. "As it happens, there is someone we wanted you to meet," Professor Okeeba said as he walked towards the door and opened it.
A tall, middle-aged man walked in. He wore a simple black business suit with a white tie around his neck as he walked in. His stride was smooth and even as his head did a quick once over with the occupants of the room. Gavin got a feeling that in the first instant the door opened, this man already assessed everyone and everything in the room for any potential dangers or threats. The subtle way his head turned as he glanced around the room was the only tell. If Gavin didn't miss it, he caught a glimpse of a pair of holstered, silver pistols on his hips underneath the black business suit. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the old man.
One thing stood out in Gavin's mind. This newcomer was dangerous.
He wasn't much to look at, from first glance. He had a smooth, freshly shaven head and eyes that were hidden behind a pair of reflective glasses that hid his eyes from view. It was almost unnerving. Gavin couldn't tell who or what he was looking at as he walked into the room as Professor Okeeba shut the door behind him with a soft click. His stride was relaxed, yet confident as he walked into the room and stood in front of Gavin.
"This is the kid you want me to babysit?" he asked Shepard, pointing a finger at Gavin. His voice was soft and quiet as he stood in front of Gavin. Helena and Jackson stepped between them. There was something about this man that set both on edge. He didn't appear to be an obvious threat, but the way he carried himself caused both to be weary. He was bold, confident. Like he could dog walk the three of them without leaving a wrinkle on his suit.
"He appears to be a fool that goes into battle cocky and arrogant. He's full of himself to the point of negligence," the man observed as he took stock of Gavin's bandages.
The way Shepard explained it, this kid was some type of prodigy and an unknown powerhouse. But he could barely contain his own mana from lashing out and was stuck in a hospital room for how many days now recovering from the assault on the academy grounds? He was not impressed.
Hold up a minute, Gavin thought. The preposterousness of the question catching him off guard for a moment. Babysit? Ain't no way in sevens fresh hells that grandpa hired a babysitter for me, Gavin thought as he glanced between them. He wasn't a child. He wasn't helpless anymore. He had his own power and skills and could handle his own in a fight better than most. So, who was this man to come in here and declare he was my bodyguard?
Gavin let out a scoff of dismissal as he glared at the newcomer. "Who are you calling arrogant and cocky, bub?" Gavin asked, his voice was low and quiet. His eyes were burning bright red at the thought of a fight in the room. He wasn't going to let anyone belittle the strength and power he had gained.
The man raised an eyebrow above the rim of his sunglasses. "Those words alone prove my point. You know nothing about me. Not my strength, abilities or combat experience. Yet you are bound and determined to provoke a fight," The man said as he looked at Gavin coldly.
Professor Okeeba stepped forward clearing his throat. "Remember what I taught you about experience trumping power young Gavin," he chastised Gavin. "You were once so full of confidence before we had a practice fight. Yet you still lost with all that power."
Shepard cleared his throat, "Not the way I'd have phrased it, but yes Sam. This is the young man and his friends that I want you to guard with your life. This is my grandson you will be protecting," Shepard informed them all. This was part of what he'd been doing and setting up. Another one of those favors he had called in.
Gavin frowned as he looked at the newcomer. "I don't need a bodyguard," he said, his voice was full of confidence and pride in his own abilities. "You know that better than anyone," he said with a glare at Shepard. The only one he wasn't sure about being able to beat was his grandfather. Maybe Okeeba. Okay fine, there were plenty of strong people he'd met on this journey that he wasn't sure he could win in a straight fight.
Before Shepard could say anything, Sam interrupted. "If that was the case, we wouldn't be standing in a hospital room, and your mate wouldn't have been taken, now, would she?" Sam asked. His voice wasn't condescending. Rather it was filled with stern truth. The part that sucked? Gavin knew it was true, and Sam had a point.
Helena sharply sucked in her breath at those words. Her eyes flashed red as she stepped up to him. Her own mana flared with her emotions as she stood in front of Sam. "Hey, uncalled for!" she snapped. Her own mana was quickly rising to the surface in response to the flippant way he dismissed everything they just went through. This wasn't some easy fight gone bad. This was a war that they all barely survived. Something they weren't even trained for. How dare he judge them for not getting everything perfect.
Gavin reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder to steady her before Sam could speak.
Sam held up his hands, "Now hold on little shorty. Let me explain," Sam said as he noticed the anger in the blue-haired girl's body. The way she was tensed up, fists clenched, jaw set squarely. She was ready for a fight right here and now. "When the fight started you were already in a weakened state due to the drawback of an ability right?" Sam asked for clarification from Gavin.
Gavin watched him carefully before he decided to answer. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Sam. "Yeah, when I had my tournament match with Erick Lyons, I used a skill called overdrive. It increases all my physical abilities for a short time exponentially. The draw back is it makes my energy, mana and stamina at zero for a while until I rest," Gavin said begrudgingly.
Sam nodded in understanding. "Do you think you could have beaten your opponent without resorting to such a double-edged sword?" Sam asked Gavin. There was a point he was trying to make for Gavin to understand just how inexperienced and foolish he was.
Gavin hesitated. Would he have won? The fight was so close before he resorted to using his trump card. Gavin was pushed harder than any fight beforehand. He reluctantly shook his head, "I honestly can't say if I would have won that fight or not," he admitted.
Sam nodded, his face grim and stern. "My point exactly. You relied on that skill to give you a boost in power, rather than on your actual fighting skills. When the fight was over you were left helpless and weak correct?" Sam continued.
Gavin gritted his teeth as he glared at the man. "Go on what's your damn point?" Gavin asked, agitation evident in his voice.
"My point, boy, is that you lack proper battle or fighting experience. You have trained your skills and abilities and not your mastery of those fighting skills. You rely on the power of the skill instead of your own fighting knowledge, skills and experience." Sam rebuked Gavin.
"You lack the knowledge and experience to know when and how to use them properly," Sam explained before he could be interrupted.
"While we search for your mate, I will attempt to teach you one basic rule," Sam said. He made sure all of them were listening and focused on him before he continued. "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," he finished.
"Once you truly understand that concept, you will be that much better of a fighter and should only rely on those double-edged skills of yours in a life-or-death situation." Sam said with his arms crossed over his chest.
Gavin tsked angrily. "What makes you such an expert?" he asked stubbornly. He knew that he was being immature about this and overly stubborn. He should just shut up, take the help and focus on finding Erza.
He shook his head, his black curls covering his eyes briefly before Sam or anyone else could answer. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. You say you can help me become stronger and a better fighter? Then so be it." Gavin said, determination strong in his gaze as he stepped around Jackson and Helena to stand in front of Sam.
"If you can help rescue Erza, and help us become better fighters, then we will do as you instruct, for now," Gavin said as he held out a hand to Sam. He wasn't as big a fool as Sam thought. He would take advantage of any kind of help he could get. But his end goal remained the same. He would find and rescue Erza, even if he had to become the worst sort of monster to do so.